Students to urge James Madison Board to reconsider dropped sports team on January 12

JMU BOARD of VISITORS URGED TO RECONSIDER ATHLETIC PROGRAM CUTS AT 1/12/07 MEETING

Students Will Make Presentations That Show Flawed Information Was Used In Their Decision To Cut Athletic Programs

On January 12, 2007 - The James Madison University (Harrisonburg, VA) Board of Visitors will hear presentations from students who believe that their recent decision to eliminate ten athletic programs was made with flawed information and data.

Student representatives of the Coalition to Save JMU Sports will ask the Board of Visitors to let the student-athletes from the ten teams proposed for elimination play out their eligibility through 2010. They will also ask the board to establish an Athletics Task Force to study alternatives to the cuts. The Board of Visitors meeting will be held at 1:00 PM at the Leeolou Alumni Center on the campus of James Madison University. The Coalition to Save JMU Sports will also hold a rally outside of the Leeolou Alumni Center at 12:00 PM.

On September 29, 2006, the JMU Board of Visitors voted in a closed door meeting to cut ten athletic programs from the university (7 men's / 3 women's) effective July 1, 2007. The main reason the JMU Board of Visitors provided for the athletic program cuts was to bring JMU into compliance with Title IX. Ironically, the law that was passed to afford women athletes equal opportunity is now being turned around and used against three women's athletic teams at James Madison University.

The Coalition To Save JMU Sports is made up of athletes, students, alumni, parents and fans have asked JMU to reconsider the decision to eliminate the ten athletic programs.